Feedback

> I do wonder whether the positive reinforcement, especially
> at higher levels, is gender specific. I know I see some (male)
> colleagues get frequent pats on the back, probably because they
> have networked well. But have they networked well because
> they are men? Do senior faculty (who are predominantly male)
> find it easier to mentor male juniors than female?
> These political interactions are essential for career
> advancement. Are they gender neutral?
As a soon-to-graduate undergrad, I will join Christine as a token
young'un - and admit that I have poor perspective on the 'higher level'
issues, but still wish to comment. Ideally these interactions should be
gender neutral, because of coure ideally, women getting equal share in
science shouldn't be an issue. But it is, so we move on. I think, from
my perspective as an undergrad, that I (and many of my friends), feel more
comfortable with a woman supervisor. And it seems to me, especially from
reading this group, that many of the women in the higher levels prefer to
act as a mentor to the younger women coming up. Why shouldn't it follow
that the predominantly male senior faculty find it easier to mentor the
young men?
Sticking my keyboard where it doesn't belong,
Anne